Activity of the President on March 15–28, 2006

Decrees

The Moldovan President has awarded the Civil Merit medal to Iurie Bucinschi, adviser for social development issues for the Moldovan Prime Minister.

The chief of state has signed two decrees on appointment of two ambassadors through plurality of offices:

Natalia Gherman, Moldovan Ambassador to Sweden, was named Moldovan Ambassador to Norway;
Victor Postolachi, Moldova’s Ambassador to Austria, was appointed as Vienna-based Moldovan Ambassador to Slovakia, the news agency MOLDPRES has learned from the presidential press service.

Meetings. Sittings. Declarations

Sitting on relations with the Russian Federation

Vladimir Voronin has convoked a sitting with decision makers of the Parliament, Government, Foreign and European Integration Ministry and Presidency and discussed ways to settle the Moldovan-Russian relations. Taking part in the meeting was also Moldova’s Ambassador in Moscow Vasile Surza, who has said meanwhile that the sitting discussed the development of situation in the Transnistrian region, misunderstandings that appeared in this context between Moldova and the Russian Federation and preparations for a visit of Moldova’s President to Moscow.

Meeting with the U.S. ambassador

Vladimir Voronin has highly appreciated the contribution of the United States to internationalisation of the Transnistrian conflict, rise of interest of European and international structures for the conflict resolution, at a meeting with Mrs. Heather Hodges, U.S. Ambassador to Moldova. Mrs. Hodges said that developments registered in Moldova last year have been increasingly gaining space in agenda of the U.S., which is supporting the latest actions of the Chisinau authorities aimed at a final political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, combat of corruption and fulfilment of high standards of democratic, economic and social development.

Collaboration with Estonia

At a Moldovan-Estonian economic forum that Chisinau hosted during a visit of the Estonian president, Vladimir Voronin has called for a plenary development of the bilateral commercial-economic relations, intensification of activity of Moldovan economic agents on the Estonian market. Arnold Ruutel said that Estonia supports the reformation process in the Republic of Moldova and its bids for European integration, while Estonian businessmen and investors are open for cooperation with Moldovan partners.

Meeting with Russian businessmen

The Moldovan President has received the chairman of the Russian holding Vinny Mir and the chairman of the Union of Participants in the Spirits Market of the Russian Federation. The presidential press service said that the meeting examined problems regarding simplification of the procedure of certification of alcohol production from Moldova and its preparation for exportation to the Russian Federation. The sides noted that the export of Moldovan wines and cognacs did not suffer in the first two months of this year despite some difficulties.

Participation in conference of the United Left Group of the European Parliament

Vladimir Voronin has attended the conference themed “The European Union and New Neighbours” that Chisinau hosted at the initiative of the United Left Group of the European Parliament. The chief of state told the forum that the pro-European integration policy of Moldova is not characterised to leftwing forces in the former Soviet area, but there are some moments that determined the Moldovan Communists to make an aware choice — the path to Europe. The main causes are the lack of viable alternatives, as only “the development of the corrupt capitalism, with a nominal democracy, aggressive xenophobe nationalism” and maintenance of country’s division, persistence of the Transnistrian conflict and tries to settle this conflict by imposing a military or other presence to Moldova, are proposed instead of the European integration.

Improvement of sick leave granting mechanism

A sitting hosted by Presidency has discussed the granting of sick leaves and payment of indemnities for temporary incapacity of work. According to unveiled date, the budgetary expenses for his sector rose by more than 230 million lei in 2005 and by 40 percent compared with 2004. It was mentioned that the situation is due to imperfection of legislation in the field and fact that these regulations do not encourage employers and employees to reduce the sick-related costs. Vladimir Voronin has asked the Ministry of Health and Social Protection to establish a strict control on the process of granting of sick leaves, while decision makers of the Government and Parliament we told to draft amendments to legislation in the area.

Concerns over privatisation and management of public patrimony

The Moldovan president has chaired a sitting on privatisation and management of the state patrimony, analysing the situation in the area, perspective to privatise the objects included in the state privatisation programme for 1997–1998, which was extended until late April 2006^[1]. Speaking about privatisation programme for the next stage, Voronin highlighted the need to diversify methods and principles of sale of patrimony, creation of conditions for an efficient use of public economic assets.

Agricultural cooperatives — optimum forms of organisation of activity in agriculture

The Moldovan President has reiterated the state’s interest for support to agricultural producers at a meeting with heads of Moldovan agricultural cooperatives organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, noting that production cooperatives are an optimum form of organisation of activity in agriculture. Cooperatives will be developed on a new basis, in line with principles of the market economy and economic realities, but they shall contribute to consolidation of agricultural land, which allows the implementation of modern technologies and growing of highly productive sorts.

Declaration on participation in the Millennium Challenge Account

According to the declaration, the Moldovan authorities have asked that the potential resources that the country will benefit within this programme be directed to prevention and combat of corruption, a phenomenon that undermines the sustained development and democratic values, discourages the process of attraction of foreign investments, increases costs of transactions, distorts the mechanisms of market economy, etc. A working group made up by representatives of public authorities, business environment, civil society has drafted an action plan including both concrete measures aimed to enhance the institutional capacity of public bodies participating in prevention and combat of corruption, and a wide set of actions requiring the active participation of civil society, business environment, journalists in this process, a plan that the American side has described as very ambitious and its successful implementation is a joint notorious responsibility of bodies of the power and entire community. The chief of state calls on the entire society, representatives of public administration bodies, opposition, and business environment to participate actively in fulfilment of anti-corruption commitments assumed within the Millennium Challenge Account.

↑ State property worth 65 million lei was sold in 2005, though 127 million lei was foreseen in the budget. The budget raised only 61 million lei from privatisation in 2004. Only 28 million lei is expected to be raised to the budget in 2006, though the privatisation programme for the entire year includes enterprises such as S.A. Tutun-CTC (nominal of shares (n.s.) worth 101,539,640 lei), S.A. Franzeluta (n.s. — 19,655,120 lei), S.A. Viorica-Cosmetic (n.s. — 17,013,620 lei), S.A. RED Nord (n.s. — 90,794,620 lei), etc.

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